11 Patterns of submission & headship in the New Testament

Click to View

A. Wives must submit to their husbands as husbands submit to others!

  1. For women to complain about submitting to their husbands completely misses the fact that she and her husband are commanded to submit in 10 additional areas!
  2. This is a summary of all passages relating to submission and headship in the New Testament.
  3. For wives to deny they must submit to their husbands means they must deny the inspiration of scripture itself.
  4. From the chart below, it is clear that men must submit to headship in 10 of the 11 categories. Women must submit to headship in all eleven categories below. For women to refuse to submit to their husbands becomes quite illogical, unless they rebel in all 11 categories.
  5. Note that men never refuse to submit in their 10 categories below, so why should any wife refuse to submit to her husband?

B. Eleven patterns of submission & headship in the New Testament

Submission

Headship

Bible Texts

All creation

God

Jas 4:7; Heb 12:9

Christ

God

1 Cor 15:28

All Creation

Christ

1 Cor 15:27-28;Heb 2:2;Eph 1:20-23;Phil 3:21;1 Pe 3:22

Church

Christ

Eph 5:24

Church

Leaders

1 Cor 16:16; 1 Th 5:12;Heb 13:17 (minister = servant/under rower)

Children

Parents

Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:20-21; Lk 2:41-52; 1 Ti 3:4

Young men

Older men

1 Pe 5:5

Slaves

Masters

Eph 6:5-9; Col 3:22-24; Tit 2:9-10; 1 Pe 2:18-20

Citizens

Government

Rom 13:1-6; 1 Pe 2:13-15; Tit 3:1

Every Christian

To Others

Eph 5:21

Wives

Husbands

Eph 5:22-24; Col 3:18; Tit 2:5; 1 Pe 3:1-7; 1 Cor 11:3

B. Other usage's of submission/ subjection:

  1. Creation subjected to futility in hope to be set free from slavery: Rom 8:20-21
  2. Christ submitted demons to the Christians of 1st century: Lk 10:17-20
  3. Subjection to the word of God: Christians submit: 2 Cor 9:13. Unbelievers: will not subject themselves to God's word: Rom 8:7; Rom 10:1-3
  4. Christians must bring their bodies into subjection to their spirits: 1 Cor 9:27
  5. Wives of prophets within the assembly must submit to their husbands by showing special silence other women did not have to show: 1 Cor 14:34-35
  6. Women must receive instruction with entire submissiveness: 1 Tit 2:11-12

Steve Rudd 

Click to View



Go To Start: WWW.BIBLE.CA